Skaters sum up faltering medals bid

Ed Willes, Postmedia News columnist02.20.2011

Charles Hamelin of Canada is passed by Ho-Suk Lee (front) and Jung-Su Lee (c) both of Korea in the 2010 Olympic men's 1000 metre short track speed skating final at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver on Saturday. Hamelin finished in fourth position and his brother Francois finished fifh.

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VANCOUVER — The dream of owning the podium has long since ended for Canada but, just in case anyone was missing the point, the measure of this country's disappointing showing in these Olympics was reinforced Saturday night with the subtlety of a sledge hammer.

Let's do the math. In the five-skater A final of the men's short-track 1,000 metres, Canada had two skaters in the field. That would seem to indicate a fairly good chance of at least one medal, right? I mean, two would have been nice but one's got to be a lock.

Canada has now taken just one medal from short-track, the silver won by Montreal's Marianne St-Gelais in Wednesday's 500 metres. The goal for short-track heading into the 2010 Games was six, although the team can salvage some pride in the relays and the 500.

"Of course it's disappointing," said Charles Hamelin, who came into the Games with a shot at winning four medals and has been shut out in both the 1,000 and the 1,500. "It's a little bit more than the 1,500 (where I didn't make the final) because I've had more success in this one.

"I thought I was on a good pace for the race. But for the last two laps I was missing juice."

With their father Yves, the short-track team's program director, watching on, the brothers were one-two for most of the first half of the race as the packed house at the Pacific Coliseum roared their approval. But when the Korean twosome of Jung-su Lee and Ho-suk Lee made their attack, the Hamelins had no response and faded badly over the final two laps.

Jung-su Lee took the gold and Hosuk Lee the silver.

"This is still a memorable moment," said Francois Hamelin. "We have a lot to be proud of today. The ideal scenario was for both of us to be on the podium. But we can leave here with our heads held high."

Apolo Anton Ohno, meanwhile, became the most decorated American Winter Olympian ever when he took the bronze. Ohno now has seven medals in his illustrious career.

"I never came into the Olympics to set records," said Ohno, who passed long-track speedskater Bonnie Blair with his second medal of these games.

"I did this because I love it. My goal was to pour my heart and soul into the Olympics and I think I've done that."

Ohno grabbed the bronze when the Hamelin brothers lost contact with the field over the final two laps.

Charles Hamelin was asked if the brothers had discussed any strategy before the race. It turned out they had, but the Koreans also had something to say about the final outcome.

"It was like we did, going out first and second, setting a good pace and making it difficult for the people behind," said Charles Hamelin. "It was the end, missing juice. Maybe the first couple of laps I went too fast."

"For me, it was two really good day of races. The end just wasn't what I wanted."

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